If you ask me, this is what I think the problem is with PhD programs: “Part of the problem, I think, is that a large part of the academy still believes they are creating Mini-Me’s or clones,” says Dr. Doering. “The only way I see it changing is to get a buy-in from the vast majority of the academy that this is a problem.” I think back on my own experience, and while continued funding might have helped, support for pursuing something interesting and original would have helped even more. Limiting the number of admissions wouldn't have done a thing, because I was always going to easily qualify, and shortening the time-frame would have required changes on the part of the institution, not myself.